Polar Loop Review + giveaway time!

Hi friends! Hope you’re enjoying the long weekend <3 We’re driving back to Tucson after a fun and crazy weekend of house hunting and Disneyland. I’ll be back with my normal(ish) posting in the morning!

In the meantime, how ’bout a giveaway??

(Bella, wishing the loop came in her size, even though 19 hours of the day are spent lounging in between sprinting)

[The remainder of this post is sponsored by Polar through a compensated campaign with Fitfluential. As always, all opinions are my own. I’m always happy to share the word about new fitness products, especially when they include a fun giveaway opportunity. Click through for the details and your chance to enter!]

Quite a while ago, I was contacted about reviewing a Polar Loop. I was really stoked because it was something I’d been wanting to try, and even more exciting because it included a giveaway opportunity. In the meantime, I had already ordered another fitness tracker that was on the way. For the purposes of this post, I’m not able to do a side by side comparison, but hopefully my feedback will help you make the best decision for your lifestyle. There are pros and cons to the various types out there; it’s really about determining the best model for your needs.

I didn’t really become intrigued with fitness trackers until I started teaching at the resort. A TON of guests would walk into class with their respective gadgets, and as a techie curious person (not capable, just curious haha) I was definitely interested in the various types. When I stopped teaching at the resort, I was looking for ways to gauge my activity since I spent a lot more time seated throughout the day. I quickly noticed that it can be extremely challenging to get in the daily recommended 10,000 steps, especially when you don’t live in a walking-friendly city. (This is even when you’re chasing around a very active toddler!) Fitness trackers are a nice reminder to add some bursts of activity throughout the day, and can also provide some insightful data about habits and patterns.

MY OTHER VIDEOS

One thing that excited me the most about the Polar Loop is that it’s compatible with Polar heart rate straps. I’d been a heart rate monitor fans for many years -especially while I was pregnant- and I knew I’d love the ability to sync the tracker during my workouts. My other fitness tracker counted “steps” via arm movements, so even when I was working out (especially with yoga, spinning and strength training) I knew my previous tracker was inaccurate. I’d be waving my arm around on the spin bike to get in my steps for the day 😉 The Loop seems to be more accurate, especially for workouts.

The first thing that alarmed me about the Loop was the size.

Thankfully, the Pilot was able to snip and reattach it. After that, it fit like a charm. I plugged it into my computer to charge and downloaded the app on my computer and phone.

Some things I noticed after a week or so of wearing:

Cons:

-No alarm! If this had an alarm of some type, it would be my perfect fitness tracker.

-The size. Even after fitting the band to my wrist, it’s still pretty thick. The simple band isn’t too much of an eyesore, but I’d love a daintier band.

-Basic sleep data. I wish it provided more info on my sleep patterns throughout the night. It gives me the duration but that’s pretty much it.

Pros:

-Longer battery life. I was pleasantly surprised with how long the Loop lasted without needing to be charged.

-Display. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it, but I LOVE being able to see steps, calories, time and activity right there on the wristband. For this reason, I didn’t drain the battery by synching it to my phone throughout the day.

-Heart rate monitor! I feel like this tracker is one of the most accurate versions if you’re going to be wearing it for everyday + workouts. It tells you your workout duration, time in the fat burning zone and fitness zone, and is extremely easy to use. It’s like the best of both worlds for heart rate monitors and fitness trackers. Also, because it’s a Polar brand, many cardio machines will sync and display your heart rate on the screen. Since it had been a while (since I was preg!) from the last time I’d used a HRM, I found that I was totally slacking on some of my workouts and could up the intensity. (cough, watching Downton Abbey on the spin bike, cough)

All in all, I’m really happy with the Loop. I’ll be wearing it from now on, especially on the days I work out.

You have until Tuesday night (midnight EST) to enter! I’ll announce the lucky winner Wednesday, 2/19 in the am post.

xoxo

Gina

This post was sponsored by Polar Loop through a compensated campaign with Fitfluential. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting this blog and the companies that help support our family <3

I always take the stairs at work and get up as often as possible. In the warmer seasons, I like to get out and walk at lunch time – even if I can only fit in 10 minutes it clears my head and helps with the concentration for the rest of the day.

I always try to take the stairs! Since I am a graduate school student, some of my week days are full of classes. To balance all the sitting, my friends and I take laps around the building during breaks to increase our daily step count!

I come in early every morning to work to make sure the coffee is flowing. I get a little exercise in, too. I walk down the hall to put on the coffee, walk back down to my office and do some work, then walk down and get a cup and bring it back to my office to sip. It has to give me some calories in the bank for creamer, right??? 😉

Hi, gorgeous! I'm so glad you're here. Welcome to The Fitnessista, a healthy lifestyle blog emphasizing quick workouts, quick recipes and adventures as a wife and mom. Though I am a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor and weight loss specialist, the information posted here is not intended to substitute the advice of a medical professional. Please check out the about page for more info. Thank you for reading! ❤️